Photographs and Strings
by Charlotte'sDauntless
Summary: "Sorry, I wasn't paying any attention." I look up and am met with the navy eyes of the one and only Four. The mysterious lead singer of Dauntless, Roth High's resident 'heartthrob boy band', the guy who everyone knows, and my former best friend. Four is holding one hand out, offering me a hand up, and has my camera bag in the other. I take his outstretched hand and he pulls me up.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N-  
** 1st- This is is one of the first stories I've ever shared, so I am completely open to constructive criticism. So, you're welcome to review if you have an opinion, a question, or if you just want to comment on how you like (or dislike) the story :)  
2nd-This will be a major song fic. mainly because a band is involved in the plot, so I will use a lot of Dashboard Confessional (because I love them) and some other artists depending on the situation and what point I'm at in the story, so I'm just going to DISCLAIM this whole story right now by say: I don't own ANYTHING, the songs belong to the artists, and characters go to V. Roth. All I own is the plot of this specific story. So, their, whole story disclaimed from the beginning.

-Charlie

 **TRIS P.O.V.**

THEY'RE GONNA CLEAN UP YOUR LOOKS WITH ALL THE LIES IN THE BOOKS-

My alarm goes off to My Chemical Romance signaling the start of another week. _God I hate Mondays._ I leave my phone in the dock to play while I go through my mental morning checklist: brush my teeth, comb through my hair, black skinnies and a black v-neck. Leather jacket, troopas, a little mascara and cover-up...I'm golden.

I walk down-stairs to look for my brother only to find a note:

 _Bea-_

 _Mom and Dad left early for their mission trip to Haiti, their flight got changed because of weather. I left early because I needed to stop by the library before class. Breakfast is on the table, you're welcome to take the rest for your friends. See you at home._

 _-Caleb_

I look over to the kitchen table to see a box of doughnuts and I smile. Caleb knows that I get bummed when Mom and Dad have to leave, but he also knows how to cheer me up. I pick up the box, along with my pack and camera, and drive to school. I take my camera with me everywhere I go, it's my passion. That's why I'm the photographer for the school journal that my friends and I run. It's how we all met, we all signed up for it as our elective freshman year and we all did such a good job that the principle let us kind of just...take over. Over the years, we developed new ideas and the journal got more and more popular. We have copies that we print for school purposes, but we also have a web-page that we run that operates as more of a blog. The blog is, let's say, not really known of by the staff. In other words, it's where we right segment and posts that wouldn't necessarily be appropriate for school purposes. We call it Divergent. Shauna is the editor and she handles the setup of interviews and everything schedule related; Marlene is the main interviewer and writes specialty articles that usually require more in-depth or 'undercover work', as she calls it; Christina, being the girly-girl she is handles horoscopes and anything girl related that none of the rest of us want to put up with; Lynn handles the sports column -try-outs, games and meets, scores- and she also handles the design for our website; and then there's me, I am the photographer, like I said, but I am also the artistic director, I update our student body on local artists and events, at school and in the community.

I arrive in the school parking lot and make my way towards the front entrance. As I weave my way through the many cars, I'm not paying attention and a door swings open in front of me, which cause me to jump back and drop my things. I immediately look to the box of doughnuts, it landed right-side-up. _Thank God, shit was going to go down if someone made me ruin my doughnuts._ I kneel down-still not having looked at who swung their door open so carelessly- to pick up my things _._ I pick up my bag and the box and I am about to stand up when I realize I don't see my camera bag. I start to panic, that's when I hear,

"Sorry, I wasn't paying any attention."

I look up and am met with the navy eyes of the one and only Four. Lead singer of Dauntless, Roth High's resident "heartthrob boy band"(though all the members would probably be pissed if they ever heard their band coined a 'boy-band'). Four is holding one hand out, offering me a hand up, and has my camera bag in the other. I take his outstretched hand and he pulls me up.

"Thanks, Four" I mumble, while he hands me my camera bag. He gives me a cursory look up and down. Not in a leary way, probably only to make sure I'm okay, besides, there's really nothing the lear at. Seemingly satisfied, he meets my eyes again. We both just stand there, him staring at me with a conflicted look as I shift uncomfortably under his gaze. Something about him makes me feel unsettled, but I can't ever figure out what it is. It's an electrifying pulse that makes me jittery and restless on my feet. So in general, I try to keep my distance. He's been my neighbor for as long as I can remember, we've known each other since we were kids and I probably know more about him than anyone at this school, his band mates included, though I'm on good terms with all of them. I know his real name is Tobias Eaton (though I try to call him Four out of courtesy to his private nature), I know that his father has a history of violence against him, I know all of his fears, I even know that he has a weird fetish about keeping his room religiously clean. In turn, he knows just as much about me. Despite this, we really don't associate nowadays. There was a time, before high school, that we would have been considered friends, but we sort of drifted apart once we got to highschool. He started his band and became Four, the mysterious and distant lead singer. The guy who everyone knows. The guy every girl (and some guys) love. The guy who gets 'more action in one week, than any man can hope to get in a year', or so I've heard. So, yeah, we don't really associate. It didn't help that I put all my extra time into Divergent, and I guess me actually _trying_ to keep my distance from him didn't help either.

I hear the warning bell ring and that breaks us both out of our stupor. I curse under my breath as we both hurry into school, trying to make it to homeroom-which we share- before the last bell. We walk along the hallways in comfortable silence, him keeping a steady pace, me trying to match his long strides. We make it in class just as the bell rings. I look to our homeroom teacher Tori-she's the art teacher- and see her mouth the word 'lucky'. I sigh in relief and go to take my usual seat by Christina and the girls. I get a round of 'hello's and I just sit down with a huff. _Stupid Four, making me late, making me uncomfortable, looking at me weird. Stupid Four._ I think in my head.

"Whoa, who spit in your coffee this morning?" I hear Christina ask. I look up to see them looking at me with confused and questioning expressions. I sigh again to recompose myself.

"And why, pray tell, were you late with Mr. Childhood BFF over there? I thought you've been avoiding him since freshman year. Or have you finally realized that you're as madly in love with him as he is you?" Christina asks while wiggling her eyebrows. She has been convinced practically since the day I met her that Four has a crush on me, and vice versa. I roll my eyes while trying to fight the blush that threatens to take over my cheeks while she just grins.. "No. He ran his door into me and then blocked my path of escape. It was all rather awkward," I summarize. Before anyone can ask questions I focus their attention on the doughnut box and watch as they all eat a doughnut. Caleb and I had both taken two, and Chris, Mar, Shauna, and Lynn all take one now, which leaves us with four. I am about to reach for another one when I feel eyes on me. I turn to my side and see Four at a table with Zeke, Will, and Uriah. He's looking at me in the same conflicted way as in the parking lot. When I catch his eyes I think I see a light pink tint the top of his structured cheeks. So, in an effort to make him less embarrassed and make it less awkward for myself, I hold up the box of doughnuts in offering. His whole face lights up with an adorable grin like a kid on Christmas, which makes me smile, too. I haven't seen him smile like that in years, who knew he liked doughnuts so much? I get up without explanation and get odd looks from my friends.

I make my way over to his table with the boys, never breaking my eye contact. When I get over there, the rest of the guys look up in question. I hold up the box of doughnuts and suddenly I am attacked by Zeke and Uriah with a hug.

"Thanks Trissy!", they say simultaneously. I push them off me, rolling my eyes and grinning. I look as each of them take a doughnut with grateful smiles. I suppose you could say I'm friends with Will, Uriah, and Zeke, or at least, I talk to them more often than I do Four. The reason being that 3 out of 5 members of Divergent are more or less involved with 3 out of 4 members of Dauntless. Marlene has been dating Uriah for almost a year, Will and Chris got together towards the end of freshman year, and Zeke, well, Zeke is head over heels for Shauna and vise versa, but neither of them are willing to admit it to the other. So, the three guys frequent my daily life in one way or another. All of a sudden I see Fours face darken as someone grabs my wrist, yanking me around. I lift my fist, ready to punch whoever it is and stop short when I see the smug face of Peter and his gang. I roll my eyes and lower my fist, trying to hide the inner chill that takes over me. Peter used to live in the same neighborhood as Four and I and he was a constant bother. I never thought him any kind of a threat until the summer before our freshman year, he attacked me one night walking home from To-Fours house. Luckily Four was just a few steps behind where Peter couldn't see him, he saved me, I don't want to think what would have happened if he hadn't been there. Luckily he moved a few weeks later. Unluckily, I still have to put up with him in school. I try and fight the shiver running up my spine and my impending anxiety attack. I yank my hand out of his grasp and take a step back hitting something hard. It's then that I realize that what I ran into is Tobias, and that he and the rest of the guys are now standing up with angry looks on their faces.

"Got any more doughnuts for us?", he asks innocently, gesturing to his little buddies. Anyone who knew Peter would know that behind that innocent smile is a monster.

"No," Tobias answers in a steady, quiet voice. Quiet is bad with Tobias. He edges his way in between me and Peter, and I look to see that the girls are making their way over cautiously. I look at Tobias and see that his fists are clenched, his pulse is racing at the base of his throat and the look in his eye suggests that he is about to rip Peter's throat out. I discreetly wrap my hand around his right arm gently, hoping to keep him calm. I note, not for the first time, the shock that seems to come whenever I come into contact with Tobias, but I keep my hand steady. I see his shoulders relax a bit and see his right fist slightly unclench. He closes his eyes, trying to keep his composure.

"Leave Peter, now, before I lose my patience with you," Tobias says, just as calm as before.

Peter throws his hands up in mock surrender, peering at me over Tobias' shoulder,

"Some day your boyfriend here won't be there to save you, stiff," he says with a smug grin. I have no time to feel embarrassed about his comment because I feel Tobias tense back up, about to throw a punch. I see the guys ready to restrain him, but I wrap my free arm around his torso and press my face to his back, and he stills. I feel him taking slow, deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, but he's still tense. I let go of him and move so I'm looking him in the face. I speak so only he can hear, "He's not worth it Tobias, I'm okay. I'm fine." He closes his eyes and when he speaks it sounds strained, "Are you sure? I hate" he trails off and opens his eyes, glaring at Peter over my shoulder. Peter just smirks and backs away. I take his hand and press it in between mine, wanting him to look at "I know, but you _were_ there, you saved me. Tobias, you saved me,"I said with finality. He calms down, sighing and nodding his head. "Okay, alright. You're right. Are _you_ okay, Tris?", he asks looking concerned.

I nod my head. The guys have all sat back down and I gently push Tobias back down in his seat. He turns to me, "Thanks, Tris. I think that would have ended badly if you hadn't done something," he says with sheepishly. I blush and I start to get that uncomfortable feeling again. This, this is why I avoid him. It's too confusing, and if I talk to him any longer, than I know I'll be sucked in. I guess I never realized how much I missed talking to him. I smile and am about to walk back to my table, but all the girls come over to us. Well that's just great, now I have no escape route.

They all surround me and start freaking out, I had told them about my encounter with Peter in brief detail.

"Are you okay?!"

"He's such an ass!"

"God I wish you'd let Four deck him."

"Four?! I'll deck him if he ever comes near you again!"

I laugh at the last comment that came from Lynn because I know that she would actually do it if given the opportunity.

"Guys, I'm fine," I say. I look over and see Tori approaching the table looking pissed. When she reaches us she puts her hands on my shoulders, appraising me, "You good?", she asks with concern behind her gaze. I smile and nod. Tori is always the one I come to when I have anxiety attacks in the middle of school. Fortunately for me, the first one I ever had was in art class, Tori recognized what was happening and let me sit in her little office in the back of the room. After class she came and sat with me and I explained what had transpired with Peter a few weeks prior, and in turn she explained that the anxiety was most likely caused by this. The only person I have ever trusted more than Tori, is Tobias. She never pushes, she's there when I need it, and she knows when to back up and let me be.

She takes her hands off my shoulders, and to my surprise, she looks to Tobias. "Four, I give you my express permission to deck him if he does anything out of line," she says. I almost laugh until I realize she's being serious. Four cracks a grin, but this one has an edge to it, "You don't have to worry about that, Tori," he said, and she nods approvingly. I just stand there with what I assume is an affronted disposition because Tori just rolls her eyes. "Oh Tris, I'm not saying you're incapable, I just want you to be safe."

I huff and she chuckles. Just then the bell rings and we all go to grab our things to head to our various classes.

 **Bonjour mes amis!  
** **So this is my first story I am making available to the public. I'm mainly a reader and I usually just right for my own entertainment, so we'll see how this goes. This chapter is a little rough around the edges for the sheer fact that I wanted to get as much information in as possible, so that I could have a good base to move forward. Even so, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!  
** **-Charlie**


	2. The Tree House

_Recap_

 _She takes her hands off my shoulders, and to my surprise, she looks to Tobias. "Four, I give you my express permission to deck him if he does anything out of line," she says. I almost laugh until I realize she's being serious. Four cracks a grin, but this one has an edge to it, "You don't have to worry about that, Tori," he said, and she nods approvingly. I just stand there with what I assume is an affronted disposition because Tori just rolls her eyes. "Oh Tris, I'm not saying you're incapable, I just want you to be safe."_

 _I huff and she chuckles. Just then the bell rings and we all go to grab our stuff to head to our various classes._

* * *

The first half of the day dragged on, and I soon found myself headed to the cafeteria. Every day at lunch, the girls and I work on anything that needs to be done for Divergent. When I get there, all of them are already sitting at our usual table towards the back. As I sit down, I see that Shauna is writing something down in the agenda book that she keeps the Divergent schedule in, Lynn is doing something on the computer that I can only assume has to do with the website, and Christina and Marlene are having an animated argument over what line of makeup is the best. I get a few forms of 'heys' and 'hellos', and then Shauna starts to speak, "Okay, so I have exciting news," she says with a smile, "I was talking with Zeke and we were talking about Divergent and then, I had an idea!", she paused for dramatic effect. "How awesome would it be if we did a whole segment on Dauntless?! You know, behind the scenes, what inspires the music, how did the band get together, stuff like that. Wouldn't that be cool?", she said with a bright, energetic smile.

Everyone gave some sort of agreement accept for me. I would be the one who would have to arrange the segment, after all. Me being the artistic director and everything. I feel a sinking in my gut, how can I avoid To-Four if I'm supposed to be interviewing him?!

Shauna realizes that I haven't said anything and she looks at me nervously. "Tris? Is that okay with you? I know it's a lot, but Marlene could always help you if you need it because it would be a specialty article, technically. I know you're whole…" she pauses, looking for the right word, "...dilemma with Four and everything. I mean it was just an idea, I told Zeke I would ask everyone first, so if you don't want to…" she trails off, trying to hide her disappointment. I groaned internally, knowing I would have to push past my own problems, even if was just to make Shauna happy. So, I put on the brightest smile I can muster, "No, of course I'll do it. It's a really great idea, Shauna," I say. Her smile brightens at this again, and she starts babbling off to her sister about the different design possibilities for the editorial.

I feel Christina nudge me in the side, I look at her and she gives me an understanding smile, "That was really nice of you, Tris. I'm sure it won't be too bad, and hey, you can just do this piece and then go back to denying your undying love for the blue-eyed, extremely sexy, and quite literal boy-next-door," she says with a devils grin. I just roll my eyes and get out a pen and paper with the intention of starting the plans for the write-up, but my mind draws a blank. So, I free write whatever comes to mind. I feel free when I'm writing, it's a form of expression and one of the reasons I'm able to put my heart and soul into Divergent. It's something I really enjoy. Near the end of lunch, I look at what I had written, a short…..something. A poem? A song? It reads sort of like lyrics.

 _Breathe in for luck, breathe in so deep,_

 _this air is blessed, you share with me._

 _This night is wild, so calm and dull,_

 _these hearts they race, from self control._

Hmm. I don't have the time nor inclination to dwell on where that came from. The bell rings signaling lunch is over, I quickly rip out the page, fold it up, and stuff it in my pocket.

* * *

It was finally the end of the day and as I was walking to my car, looking over the notes I had started to make for the piece on Dauntless, I ran into something, or rather, someone. My papers flew out of my hand, and for the second time today, I brace myself for the impact of solid ground….but it never comes. I feel a hand on my waist, touching the exposed skin on my side where my shirt has ridden up, and I shiver at the odd feeling that comes from the contact. That could only mean one thing, I turn around to be met with panicked blue eyes.

"Tris! I'm so sorry, I promise I'm not intentionally doing this," Four says quickly.

I chuckle at his obvious confliction, "I know T-Four. It was my fault I wasn't paying attention. Again," I say as I bend down to start grabbing my papers that were trying to fly away from me. He bends down to help me, "Bea, you know you don't have to call me Four when it's just us," he says quietly. My head pops up and I see him looking at me with his big blue eyes. I hadn't heard that nick-name from him in so long. "Alright Tobias," I say it almost as a whisper. He grins an almost relieved grin at me as he starts to hand me the papers.

As I am about to reach for them, he pulls them back, a perplexed look on his face, "These are notes for Divergent. Are you guys doing a segment on Dauntless?", he asks.

"Yeah, Shauna told us about it today. Apparently her and Zeke talked about it, did Zeke not tell you?", I ask, assuming Zeke would have told them. He shakes his head.

"Oh, well we are. Which basically means it all falls to me, considering I'm the one who covers these kinds of stories," I say, a little exasperated about the way it was all sort of dumped on me.

"Oh," he says, "Well I wouldn't want anyone else doing it. I'm sure it will turn out great, Bea," he says with genuine look on his face that tells me everything he's just said is true. I feel another jolt go through me as he uses that nick-name again. I blush at the compliment, "Thank you Tobias," I say quietly. He's looking at me, and I at him, and it's then that I realize we are still on the ground. He seems to realize this, too, and stands quickly so he can help me up. I smile in thanks and he hands me my papers back, "Just let me know when you want to start that article," he says in his steady voice. I nod in agreement and wave goodby, walking to my car.

I drive home on auto-pilot and almost don't realize when I've stopped the car in my driveway. I sigh, grab my things, and get out of my car. I look across the street to see a familiar dark haired figure getting out of his car. As he shuts his car door, he sees me, and I see a small smile on his face. I wave at him with a soft smile and he waves back. I turn around and go into my house, straight up to my room.

A little later, once I had finished the minimal amount of homework I had and was now sitting on my bed reading a book, I decided to go take a walk. I looked outside and saw that it was still light outside, I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 6:00. I grab my camera and my phone and I head out. At the end of my street, there is a little patch of woods that Tobias and I used to play in. One day, we ventured a little farther in than usual and found an old treehouse, he went up to make sure it was safe, and then I followed. It became our little spot that no one else knew about, we would always go there to talk or just hang out. I still come occasionally when I just want to be alone, but never with Tobias. There have been occasions that I have heard him up there playing his guitar and I shamelessly sat at the bottom and listened to him sing, but I would always hide when he came back down.

So lost in thought, I hadn't realized I was here, the cost seemed clear, with no sign of Tobias, so I started to climb the latter. I'm about at the third rung when I hear someone behind me,

"What do you think you're doing?", a familiar voice asks. I don't bother turning around.

"I don't _think_ I'm doing anything," I reply, a slight smile fighting its way on my face.

"Don't you know you're not supposed to come up here without me, Trissy?", he says. Is he serious?! He comes up here all the time without me!

"What?! You come up here all the time, I-", I stop short, my eyes widening. I just admitted to seeing him up here and not telling him. I turn around swiftly, when I look down to him, he has a huge grin on his face.

"You what? See me up there singing and camp out at the bottom of the tree listening, only to hide when I come back down to leave? Yeah I know," his smug smile growing wider as he speaks, but there is something else in his eyes. My jaw hangs slack and I blush madly. He chuckles slightly, then he starts to climb. I just watch him until he stops. I wonder why this is until he raises his eyebrows at me and I realize that I have to climb up before him. My cheeks flush even more, if possible , and I continue up the tree.

Once I'm in, I walk to the far corner and sit down, he comes in soon after and takes a seat next to me. I look up at him and see that he's thinking hard about something, he has a little crease in between his eyebrows and his eyes look pensive. He finally looks down at me and I realize how long I've been staring, I quickly look away, and I hear him chuckle. He continues to look at me and I glance at him from the corner of my eye, but he just continues to stare. I start to feel marginally uncomfortable and finally look up at him, eyebrows raised in annoyance. He smile nervously and when he speaks it's quiet and there is a quiver of uncertainty, "Will you...can I play something for you that I've been working on?" he asks. I'm caught off guard slightly, not expecting him to ask that. Why is he nervous, we always used to share our writings with each other? "Of course Tobias, I always love to hear you sing, you know that," I say just as quietly. Damn him. Why does he make me soft?! His mouth quarks up and he goes to get the guitar that he keeps in a case up here. He walks over and sits in front of me with his case. When he opens it and takes out his guitar, I see that there is a well-worn notebook in the bottom, with a pencil stuck somewhere in the middle. He takes that out as well, and sets it beside him, opening it to the page with the pencil. He takes the pencil out and scratches his head with it while studying the notebook for a moment. I smile as I look at him because, sitting hear, concentration in the crease of his brow, he looks like the 17 year old he his. Not the scary, serious, closed-off guy people must see him as.

He finally sticks the pencil behind his ear and takes out his pick. He looks up at me and I just nod, encouraging him to go on. He starts his song.

 _Carry this picture for luck kept in a locket_

 _Tucked in your collar close to your chest_

 _Make it a secret shown to the closest friends_

 _Meet me at quarter to seven_

 _The sun will still shine then at this time of year_

 _We'll head to the inlet and we'll share a bottle there_

 _And color the coast with your smile_

 _It's the most genuine thing that I've ever seen_

 _I was so lost, but now I believe_

 _And follow me south of the big docks_

 _Where they tether the boats the rich men revere_

 _They're so important, they hire our fathers to steer_

 _And down to the edge of the water_

 _Where we'll spill our guts and we'll name our fears_

 _I'll give you this picture keep it and don't be scared_

 _And color the coast with your smile_

 _It's the most genuine thing that I've ever seen_

 _I was so lost, but now I believe_

 _In the coast, your smile_

 _Is the most genuine thing that I've ever seen_

 _I was so lost but now I believe_

 _Now I believe_

 _Now I believe_

 _Now I believe_

The melody is soft and gentle. His voice low as he sings. By the end of the song, I'm in awe. I clap my hands and cup my them over my mouth making fake cheering noises. He chuckles, and I grin at him. I recall some of the lyrics and wonder who he wrote the song about. The thought makes me uneasy, making me wonder if I really want to know the answer. I don't, I decide. I push the thought away, trying to get rid of the odd feeling weighing my chest.

"Tobias, that was great. I feel like I never hear that kind of stuff from you guys," I say, talking about the band. He frowns a little at that.

"Yeah, this isn't really something that I would...share. With the guys I mean. It's just...I don't know. We have a certain image I guess, and this kind of stuff just doesn't fit it," he says looking down. I understand now why he felt so nervous to share it with me, he thinks I hold him to the same image as everyone else does. "Hey," I say, but he won't meet my eyes. "Tobias," I say again sternly, so he will look at me, "You know I would like anything you wrote, right? I'll always support you, in anything you do. You do know that, right?", I ask. He looks up at me, anger so evident in his blue eyes that I am taken aback. "How would I know that, Tris? Was I supposed to pick that up when you started avoiding me or when you started calling me the name everyone else calls me, or was it when you started acting like we barely knew each other?", he asks in his Four voice that he so rarely uses with me, and under the anger is pain and confusion and I know I've hurt him. I'm shocked and several moments pass without me saying anything because I'm at such a loss for words.

 **Bonjour!  
So that's the second chapter. For anyone wanting the know that was Carry this Picture by Dashboard Confessional. Let me know what you think, I'm pretty new to this. :)  
-Charlie**


	3. The Tree House: Part II

_Recap:_

" _Tobias," I say again sternly, so he will look at me, "You know I would like anything you wrote, right? I'll always support you, in anything you do. You do know that, right?", I ask. He looks up at me, anger so evident in his blue eyes that I am taken aback. "How would I know that, Tris? Was I supposed to pick that up when you started avoiding me or when you started calling me the name everyone else calls me? Or was it when you started acting like we barely knew each other?", he asks in his Four voice that he so rarely uses with me, and under the anger is pain and confusion and I know I've hurt him. I'm shocked and several moments pass without me saying anything because I'm at such a loss for words._

* * *

"Tobias I...I only started calling you Four because that's what everyone else called you, I just figured you didn't want anyone else knowing your name," I said, trying to avoid giving him a reasoning for keeping my distance these past couple years.

"Even when we're alone, Tris?", he asks desperately.

"Well, I'm not calling you that now, am I?", I ask looking down. A beat passes and I hear him take a deep breath, "What about avoiding me, Tris? What about that? Please explain it to me because I don't understand," he says as he exhales in one breath. I shut my eyes and continue looking down. What do I say? How can I explain it to him when I'm not even sure how to explain it to myself? I pull my head up to meet his gaze. He looks so sad, like all the years of me avoiding him are finally catching up to him now, at this very moment. I'm at a lose of what to say, I rarely ever see him so vulnerable or expressive, and I struggle to find the right words that will make him feel better. I don't ever want to see that look on his face, and I hate it even more knowing that I'm the one that put it there.

"I didn't know you knew," I say at last, not really thinking before I speak. His hand drops from my face and he drops his head.

"So I'm right, you were avoiding me," he says, his voice steady, not giving away anything.

"No. I mean, yes I am-was...I..." I desperately think of a way to explain this to him, and my mouth starts speaking in a rush before my mind can catch up, "Look, I just thought, you know, you were starting your band, and everyone started liking you so much, then I started Divergent, and you know me, I've always been pretty quiet. I didn't really fit into your whole mysterious facade everyone else sees. We just drifted apart so much, and I guess that just made me think it would be better for you if you weren't seen with me," I say with minimal breath, and am shocked by what I've just said, but even more shocked at the fact that I'm finding myself holding back tears. I hadn't realized I felt that way, but now that I've said it, I know that it's the truth. And I know I've identified why he makes me so uncomfortable. I don't think I deserve him anymore. He's looking at me with a similar form of shock that must be on my face. I shut my eyes and let my hair fall in front of my face, embarrassed. I hear shuffling and the sound of his guitar being set aside. Then I am engulfed in his warm embrace, relieved, and tuck my face in his neck. I sit there and breathe in his distinct smell that has always reminded me of safety.

"I'm sorry Bea. I'm so sorry if that's what you thought," his voice soft, sounding more like Tobias. "I've just assumed that you had been avoiding me all this time because….well I don't know, I always assumed I did something to upset you. I guess that's true isn't it? We did drift apart some and that's _my_ fault, Tris, and I'm so sorry."

When he says this he sounds so dejected, immediately I feel guilt surround me. "It's my fault, Tobias. It's my own stupidity, not yours," I say into his neck. My words slightly muffled. I feel him chuckle, his laugh reverberating through my body, filling me with warmth from head to toe.

"It's not you, it's me? Are you breaking up with me, Trissy?", he asks. I pull back, a smile finding its way onto my face, as well as a blush, "No, _Toby,_ " I say while pushing him on the shoulder. We pull apart, and I immediately feel cold without his presence. His face grows more serious and he looks toward the ground, "So, does this mean we're done avoiding each other?", he looks up at me with hope in his ocean eyes and I am hit again with the wieght of how much I've missed him.

"Yes," I breath out, "I hope so." Relief fills his eyes and his face visibly brightens. I smile and as I look to the side, I see his notebook lying on the ground. I go to pick up, but I look to him for confirmation that it's okay I read it. He reluctantly nods his head and I grin. There is song, after song, after song. All about love or loss and most of them are truly beautiful and poetic. I can tell they did not come from Four, lead singer of Dauntless, but from Tobias. My Tobias. I mentally groan at that, why my mind thinks things like this is beyond me. I keep flipping through the book, a smile on my face, when I find a page with just notes on it, a rhythm ticked out underneath them. I look up at him questioningly, and he furrows his eyebrows in confusion and a hint of nervousness. He scoots next to me on the floor and looks down over my shoulder.

"Oh," he says, his breath tickling my neck, sending a shiver down my spine that I hope he doesn't notice.

"I usually write lyrics first and then the music, but I just got this melody in my head and decided to write it down. I haven't figured out any lyrics that fit quite right," he says with a slight frown. My eyebrows furrow as I concentrate, studying the snippet of music and a realization hits me. I chuckle slightly. Tobias looks at me strangely and I roll my eyes at him, "What?," he asks. "Nothing," I say dismissively but he raises his eyebrows at me. I sigh.

"It's just, I wrote something that fits this melody," I say. "You did?", he says, rather excitedly, "Can I see it? Do you have it?", he asks. I nod reluctantly and pull the slip of paper that was still in my pocket from lunch. I hand it to him. As he reads it his eyebrows raise and an emotion fills his face that I can't quite read. Jealousy? No, that's ridiculous.

"Tris, who is this about?", he asks, his voice guarded. I shrug my shoulders, "Nobody. It's just the first thing that came to my mind at lunch time. I don't know why, it just did," I say, feeling slightly defensive, though I'm not sure why. His face softens a little. He looks over to his guitar and he picks it up, strumming the notes of his song, humming along where my words would fit in.

When he's finished, he looks back up with a smile on his face, "Would you mind if I took a picture of this and used it? They're really good lyrics, Tris," he asks. I nod. "Keep it, it's yours. I have no use for it," I say with a shrug.

"Are you sure? It's beautiful just as a poem," he says with his eyes wide in disbelief. I smile at him, "It's fine, I was just bored, really. It's yours, keep it," I assure him. He nods slowly and puts it in his pocket.

I pick his journal up to start looking through it again, but I pick it up from the spine, and something falls out. I pick it up so I can put it back in the little book, but when I see what it is, I'm surprised. I look down to see an old polaroid of a little blonde girl and a certain blue-eyed little boy laying in the grass in front of a house, looking up at the clouds. Tobias and I. We look to be about 7 or 8. I look at Tobias with a warm smile, "Where did you get this?", I asked him. He was looking down, and I could swear I saw a little red tinging his cheeks, "I found it a few years ago. I keep it in there for...inspiration, I guess. If I feel mad, or sad, or...I start thinking of how long it has been since I've talked to you, that picture makes me feel better," he says. This brings water to my eyes, and he looks back up at me through hooded lashes, looking sheepish, as if I would be mad at him for keeping the picture. I look at him for a minute before, quite literally, tackling him with a hug.

He's stunned at first, but then he regains his composure and wraps his arms around me with a sigh. I just lay on his chest, still looking at the picture, and I'm struck with another wave of guilt. I can't believe I avoided him for so long without thinking about how it would affect him. I only thought of myself. I was being selfish.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. "For what?", he whispers back. I sit up and look down at him, his arms falling from around my waist.

"For avoiding you, it was selfish, and I wasn't thinking about you and, I'm sorry," I say with a sad sigh. He sits up as well, and wraps his arms around me again.

"It's over now, and you aren't the only one to blame, I could have done more to keep up our friendship. But it's over now. Right?", he asks, I nod, smiling.

"Right."

We sit there for a minute before he gently unwraps his arms from around me and stands up.

"As much as I'm enjoying talking to you, it's getting late, and I have to be home soon," he say, a frown gracing his features. I nod stiffly, knowing exactly why he has to get home. He puts his hand out for me and pulls me up. I watch as he collects his journal and guitar and puts them both back in his case, then we head down the ladder.

We walk home in comfortable silence, something I sorely missed about being around him, because with Christina, there _is_ no silence. He walks me too my door and we bid goodnight. I go to bed feeling lighter than I have in months.

* * *

 **FOUR**

After dropping Tris off, I head towards my house. I try to fill my mind with the pleasant thought of finally having Tris back, tryin to keep the thought of _him_ out. But to no avail. I feel by body getting tenser the closer I get to the door. I face my house, and prepare myself for what is inevitably about to happen. I unlock the door, walk in, and shut it as quietly as I can. I don't see any lights on and everything is quiet, I walk past the entrance of the living room, about to walk up the stairs when the lamp clicks on and I hear it, the voice that haunts my dreams.

"Why are you so late getting home, Tobias? You know that tardiness is not acceptable in this household," he says in a voice like ice. I turn around to see that he is sitting in a leather arm chair, posture rigid with anger, fury burning low in his eyes. He has something in his hand, I notice. Then I realize with growing dread that the thing he is holding is a belt. The belt.

"Come here," my body betrays me as I drop my bag and walk slowly over to him. "This is for your own good," I'm on my knees, back toward him, and I brace myself for the pain.

 **Chapter 3, everybody! Let me start off by saying that I was overwhelmed with all he nice comments from you guys! They were wonderful and I thank all of you, very big confidence boost :) Also, I don't think I mentioned it last chapter, but the 'poem' that Tris wrote is part of the opening verse of Hands Down by Dashboard Confessional, just fyi. Awesome song, love that song. It will be making a reappearance in later chapters ;);)  
I had a couple ****questions after the first two chapters, so let me answer those for you. One was in regards to how often I would be posting. I will update as often as I can, it will most likely be once a** **week. That being said, if I happen to have a bit of time on my hands, I may post earlier! Another question was about writing in the point of view of Tobias, and the answer is yes! You just got a little glimpse of his POV, but that part wasn't very fun to write. There will be more Tobias to come, no worries I like switching it up sometimes! :) Until next time mes amis!**

 **-Charlie**


	4. Friends

_Recap: "As much as I'm enjoying talking to you, it's getting late, and I have to be home soon," he say, a frown gracing his features. I nod stiffly, knowing exactly why he has to get home. He puts his hand out for me and pulls me up. I watch as he collects his journal and guitar and puts them both back in his case, then we head down the ladder.  
_ _We walk home in comfortable silence, something I sorely missed about being around him, because with Christina, there is no silence. He walks me too my door and we bid goodnight. I go to bed feeling lighter than I have in months._

 _ **FOUR  
**_ _I don't see any lights on and everything is quiet, I walk past the entrance of the living room, about to walk up the stairs when the lamp clicks on and I hear it, the voice that haunts my dreams.  
_ " _Why are you so late getting home, Tobias? You know that tardiness is not acceptable in this household," he says in a voice like ice. I turn around to see that he is sitting in a leather arm chair, posture rigid with anger, fury burning low in his eyes. He has something in his hand, I notice. Then I realize with growing dread that the thing he is holding is a belt. The belt.  
_ " _Come here," my body betrays me as I drop my bag and walk slowly over to him. "This is for your own good," I'm on my knees, back toward him, and I brace myself for the pain._

* * *

 **TRIS**

The next day I wake up before my alarm can go off, a rarity. I feel light walking to the bathroom to get ready for my day and soon I'm walking downstairs half an hour before classes start.

I see Caleb sitting at the kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal, engrossed in the book in front of him. He barely looks my way when he says, "Hey, Tris," then his head snaps up. He's looking at me bewildered, "Why are you up so early? And why do you look so happy?", he asks, confused. I laugh.

"You know, sun's shining, birds chirping," I reply, "I'm off to school," I say. And I'm out the door.

When I arrive at in the parking lot, there are barely any cars. Only the few students like Caleb (nerds) that want to get here right when the library opens. Nevertheless, I go into home room, expecting to be the only one there. To my surprise, when I walk through the door, I see a familiar mop of dark hair with his head down on the table. My face breaks into a wide grin as I walk over to him. _Guess I'm not the only one waking up early._

"Hey," I say and sit down beside him. His head pops up with a bright smile. _I missed that smile._

"Hey," he says back, and just keeps looking at me with a goofy grin. I laugh at him, appraising his appearance. Hair, disheveled as usual, form fitting t-shirt, dark jeans, black vans. But there's something off about the way he's sitting, straight backed and a little tense. I ponder this until I notice a small spot on the side of his dark grey t-shirt. My face falls as I recognize the spot to be blood, "Tobias," I breath out. His brows knit in confusion as he looks down to where I'm looking. He swears under his breath. His face changes in a second, becoming impassive and devoid of emotion.

"I'm fine," he says in his commanding voice, looking ahead of him. This is Four, and I find myself a little hurt especially after our talk last night.

"Don't use that voice with me," I say in a measured tone, trying not to give anything away. I see his face soften as he looks at me with tired eyes. "I'm sorry, Bea," he says lowly, looking at me under hooded lashes, "It's going to take time learning how to talking to you again. You know more about me than anyone, and I guess that's just a little weird sometimes" he speaks softly. I nod in acceptance, hurt giving way to worry. He sees it on my face and sighs, "I really am okay, Tris. Nothing I haven't handled before," he says with a tight smile. I know this is a topic he doesn't want to talk about right now, especially at school, where anyone could hear. So I drop it. Instead I reach into my pack and get out my computer that has the notes I took for the spread I'm writing on Dauntless. He looks over my shoulder as I'm pulling up the Divergent page.

"Is all this for our article?", he asks and I can feel his breath on my neck. I blink, clearing my thoughts.

"Yeah, I sent out a post on the blog asking for people to submit questions they would want answered from you guys, and it blew up. I posted it last night and it already has over 500 comments, some with multiple questions in them. Obviously I can't ask them all, but I figured I'd go through them and pick some out," I say. As I look through the comments, the questions range from wanting to know the band members favorite color, to what kind of songs they've been working on recently. Tobias goes through them with me, picking out ones he thinks the guys would like, helping me pick and choose the questions for specific band members such as, "What's with Uriah's chocolate cake fetish?" That question referring to what has been dubbed by the student body as 'Dauntless chocolate cake', which is the cake they serve in the cafeteria. So nicknamed because of Uriah's odd obsession. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in the answer to that question as well. There are some popular repeat questions that are submitted by multiple people, the most popular of them being 'Does Four have a girlfriend?'. Tobias gets increasingly exasperated each time we come across a question like it.

People start trickling in to home room, but we are still in our own world, happy to tune everyone else out. When I scroll to the last comment I am surprised by what I see,

 _Just now  
_ _Submitted by: Anonymous  
_ _When are Four and Tris going get together? All of their friends are dating and they are totally into each other, it's perfect! Wake up!_

A bright blush washes over me immediately as I'm reading it. I'm so surprised and embarrassed that Tobias is sitting right next to me that I can't speak. I look up at him, his eyes are wide and a bright pink tinges the tops of his ears, but other than that I have no idea what he's thinking. We look at each other in stunned silence, neither knowing what to say until Zeke and Uriah sit in front of us, looking on in confusion. In this moment of reprieve, I quickly close out of the web page and close my computer, trying to get my blush under control.

"Hey, Tris," Zeke says slowly, giving me a strange look, and I give a little wave, still not trusting my voice. "Not that I mind but…..why are you in my seat?" Zeke asks with thinly veiled petulance. I roll my eyes at him, about to answer, when Christina, Will, and Marlene walk over with their backpacks in hand, "Why are you sitting over here, Tris?" Marlene asks in confusion, and I sigh in exasperation.

"What, are we not good enough for Trissy?" Uriah asks with a fake hurt expression. Marlene rolls her eyes at him and goes over to give him a peck on the cheek. I glare at him, "What did I say about calling me that, Uriah" I say, trying to mimic Tobias' scary soft voice. I believe it works because Uriah goes wide eyed and murmurs an apology. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tobias hold out his hand under the table for I high-five, and I quietly high-five him with a smirk on my face. Then I see Shauna and Lynn walk into homeroom and pause as they see us all gathered together at the table.

"Hey guys," Shauna greets as they head over to us. Then she looks at me and opens her mouth to speak, but I hold up my hand to stop her.

"I'm over here because I wanted to sit with Four, and then we started working on a few things for the Dauntless article. Is that okay with everyone?", I ask, eyeing everyone in turn. They all nod in surprise and I smile, relaxing into my chair. Everyone goes about normal conversation, some of the girls pulling up chairs. I look up at Tobias to see him smirking at me, "So you wanted to sit next to me, huh?" I roll my eyes and nudge his shoulder, smiling.

After a few minutes, the bell rings signaling the beginning of the day. As I gather my things and go to walk out of the room, Tobias grabs my wrist, "I'll see you at lunch?", he asks, and I can see uncertainty in his eye. I smile at him and nod, he smiles back and we both head to class.

* * *

I'm fighting to keep my eyes open while sitting in AP French. Seeing as I'm already fluent in the language I took this class thinking it would be an easy A, and it is, but it is oppressively boring. This is my last class before lunch, and there are only five minutes left. _Five minutes until I get to see Tobias._ The thought puts a smile on my face, and for the next five minutes, I'm sure all of my fellow classmates think I've gone insane because of the massive grin.

When the bell rings, my things are already packed up as I bolt out the door, not wanting to waste any time. I'm making my way to the cafeteria when I feel someone grab my waist and a hand go over my mouth. My eyes widen and panic sets in.

 **FOUR**

My leg is bouncing up and down with antsy energy. Statistics is killing me and I am so ready for the bell to ring. I chance a look at the clock, a dangerous thing when you're trapped in the world of math where time seems to stop, and almost jump out of my seat when I see there's only five minutes left. _Five minutes until lunch with Tris._ I can't contain the grin that slips through my otherwise impenetrable mask as I watch the last minutes tick by on the clock.

When the bell finally sounds, I am out of my seat and headed for the door. I waste no time navigating the hallways to the lunchroom, when I see a familiar blond head. _Tris._ I grin as a thought suddenly pops into my head. I walk behind her as she sets a brisk pace, weaving in and out of the crowds of people, presumably headed to the cafeteria. Silently, I come up behind her and grab her waist while covering her mouth so she can't yell at me. I feel her tense up as she makes a muffled squeal into my hand. I bend to whisper in her ear, "What's the rush Trissy? You wouldn't be skipping out on our lunch date would you?"

Her body relaxes slightly, but I am rewarded with a shiver that makes me happier than I'm willing to admit. Then I feel a grin tugging at her lips behind my hand, and the next thing I know I feel something moist on my hand. I jerk back and look at my hand at if it had been burned. She's looking at me with a wide grin and she giggles at my surely disgusted face. I hold my hand up and point at it, schooling my features, "Did you just lick my hand?", I ask in a level tone.

"That kind of behavior won't be tolerated Beatrice."

She cringes at my used of her full first name. I start to move towards her, holding my hand in front of me, and her eyes widen again while she shakes her head. She starts to back away, but I grab her around the waist again and rub my hand on her face as she tries to squirm away. Once I am satisfied with my pay back, I release her and she scrambles away from my grip, wiping at her cheek with her sleeve. I chuckle as she glowers at me and we start walking again. I walk up and sling my arm around her shoulder, she's the perfect height for an arm rest.

"You know, I think I forgot how comfortable you are to rest my arm on," I say with a grin. She just rolles her eyes at me a nuges me in the side. We make it to the cafeteria before any of our friends, so we claim a large table in the back of the large. Tris grabs out her bag of lunch, and I can't help but smile at the familiarity of it. For as long as I can remember, she and Caleb took turns packing each other's lunches, and this was clearly Caleb. Neat containers filled with fruits and vegetables, trail mix, a sandwich, finished off with a little bottle of water. She looks up and sees me grinning at her lunch and rolls her eyes.

"It was Caleb's day if you couldn't tell," she says sarcastically, confirming my suspicion.

We lapse into easy silence, until our friends start to show up. Conversation moves so easily, it's like we've all been friends for years. I look over at Tris and her eyes sparkle as she laughs at something Christina is saying from where she sits across the table. She turns her head, catching my eye, and smiles. I grin, then turn back to the conversation that was happening between Zeke and Uriah about a party they were planning. I zone out, not really interested, until I hear a _click_ to my right. I turn and see a pair of blue eyes peaking out from behind a camera. I grin at the blondes antics. _Click_. She takes another photo. I laugh at her as she starts bombarding me with her camera, trying to push her away and shield my face at the same time. She knows I'm not fond of having my picture taken, which I'm assuming is what's causing all of the giggles that escaping her. I find myself pushing at her half-heartedly just to see if she'll continue to laugh like that. I'm rewarded with the tinkling that is her laugh.

Unfortunately, the impromptu photo-op comes to an end, as does Tris' amusement. When she sets her camera down, we're both still trying to contain our laughing. Then I look up to see our friends looking on with amusement. I catch Zeke's eye and he smiles knowingly, raising an eyebrow. I clear my throat and look away, clearing up my lunch trash. Too soon, the bell signals the end of lunch, and with a groan I make my way out into the fray of students trying to get to class. I say quick goodbye to Tris, promising to see her later.

I feel hands clap me on the shoulders as Zeke makes his way into my periphery.  
"So, hooking up with the bff, huh," he says with a grin. I roll my eyes and level a stare at him, knowing he's joking but still irritated at the insinuation. He laughs and puts up his hands in a sign of surrender. "Alright, alright, but really, man," he says in a more serious voice as he holds out his arm to stop us. I sigh, knowing the question that's coming next.  
"She still doesn't know?" he says it more as a statement than a question, but I just sigh again, rubbing at the back of my neck. This must be answer enough for him because it's his turn to sigh. "I know," I say clenching my jaw, already growing weary of the subject. I start to walk away, but he stops me again.  
"Do you? I'm just looking out for you man. Do you really expect to keep the fact that you're in love with your best friend a secret forever?"

I stay silent, the question hanging heavy in the air and in my mind as we make our way to our next class.

* * *

 **TRIS**

As I walk out of the cafeteria, Christina comes up behind me, linking our arms together. I can see her looking at me out of the corner of my eye.  
"What is it," I say with a sigh. She rolls her eyes, "Don't play dumb with me, Prior." I scoff at this.  
"If you're expecting me to talk about the fact that Four and I are friends again, there's not much to say. We talked, we're friends, I'm not avoiding him anymore," I say, purposefully putting emphasis on 'friends'. It's her turn to sigh, and thankfully, she let's the subject drop.  
"So, are you going to the party this weekend?" she asks, "It'll be a great chance to get photos for the article," she says casually, but I see right threw her.  
"I already told Four that I'd go, Chris, not need to make excuses."  
Her face splits into a grin at this as she fires off multiple things we would have to get before Friday.  
"Tris, you have to let me do your make-up. I promise I won't make you look like a stripper. I did good last time, remember?" She says it so fast I can hardly make out what the question was, but I have to laugh at the last comment.  
"Sure, Chris. I trust you...sort of."


	5. Chapter 5

_Recap-_

" _If you're expecting me to talk about the fact that Four and I are friends again, there's not much to say. We talked, we're friends, I'm not avoiding him anymore," I say, purposefully putting emphasis on 'friends'. It's her turn to sigh, and thankfully, she let's the subject drop.  
_ " _So, are you going to the party this weekend?" she asks, "It'll be a great chance to get photos for the article," she says casually, but I see right threw her.  
_ " _I already told Four that I'd go, Chris, not need to make excuses."  
_ _Her face splits into a grin at this as she fires off multiple things we would have to get before Friday.  
_ " _Tris, you have to let me do your make-up. I promise I won't make you look like a stripper. I did good last time, remember?" She says it so fast I can hardly make out what the question was, but I have to laugh at the last comment.  
_ " _Sure, Chris. I trust you...sort of."_

* * *

 **TRIS**

The week went on in a similar fashion as it had on Tuesday, and before I knew it, it was Thursday evening. I was just walking in the door. Christina and I had just gotten home from shopping- Bags=(C+5) ( T+2) -when through the window I saw a familiar face walking into the woods. I smiled as I put my new items or as Chris liked to call them, 'necessities', away. I hung up the outfit I got for tomorrow night and set aside the new lipstick and eyeshadow I got.

I plopped down on my bed, looking around lazily, and saw my camera sitting on my desk. I jumped up and decided to go for a walk. Grabbing the camera and my bag, I headed out the door.

Which is how I ended up at the treehouse, telling myself it was a complete accident. Standing at the base of the ladder, hearing an unfamiliar melody float out from the window openings, I wonder if I should interrupt or not. That is, until I hear, "You coming up this time or what, Bea?" with the undeniable sound of a smirk in his deep voice. I grin despite myself and climb up as quietly as I can. When I get up there, Tobias is sitting cross legged on the ground with his guitar in his lap, looking down at his journal, and a pencil stick in his hair. His face is set in a look of concentration, his brow furrowed and lips slightly pursed.

When he notices me standing in the entrance, he looks up with a grin. "Thought I heard my favorite stalker down there," he said lightly. I blush at his comment, but smile all the same.

"What are you working on," I ask, trying to change the subject. At that he frowns a bit.

"Just a new song, not for the band. Just for me, I guess," he inspects the journal again, taking the pencil from behind his ear and scratching his head a bit. I smile softly at the gesture and sit down next to him, looking down at what he's written. It's a beautiful song with lovely lyrics and I am struck again at how genuine Tobias can be when he's not putting up his Four front.

"It's missing another part, I just don't know what it is," he says getting a bit frustrated, "I don't know," he sighs. "It may just not work,"

"Let me see it, maybe I can help," I say, holding out my hand for the journal. He hands it over to me and take a closer look at it, studying the pattern in the words, picturing in my head the notes he's scribbled in the margins. I look at it for several minutes and then it clicks. I look up at him and realize he's studying me with an intense expression. I clear my throat and tell him my idea, "I think it would work better as a duet. See?" I ask showing him, "You could even work in harmonies if you were feeling particularly crazy," I finish, jokingly. His eyes widen and he grins, snatching the journal back and looking over the word again. I take the pencil from behind his ear, leaning over him to make light marks where the two parts would be.

"Tris, you're brilliant, this is perfect," he said in awe. I look down to hide my satisfied grin. He bends down so he's at eye level with me, "You know what this means don't you?" he asks me with mischief in his eyes. I look at his in confusion until I understand what he's thinking. I immediately start to shake my head, but he cuts me off before I can protest.

"Come on, Bea. It's just me here and you've always underestimated your talent.

Your voice is beautiful," he says the last part quietly like he didn't expect me to hear. I sigh and look around, as if I would actually see anyone.

"Fine," I say, resigned to my fate. He grins, and I try to give him a stern look saying "Just this once," but it's hard when the dimples I so rarely see anymore apear as he smiles.

"Okay, do you need me to play it for you first, or do you think you've got it," he asks me as I look at the lyrics. I shake my head, "I think I've got it," I say. I set the journal down so we can both see it, then he starts strumming.

( _Tris_ , Both, **Tobias** )

 **I've got this friend  
** **I don't think you know him  
** **He's not much for words  
** **He's hidden his heart away  
** **Oh I've got this friend  
** **A loveless romantic  
** **All that he really wants  
** **Is someone to want him back**

Ohh, if the right one came  
If the right one came along  
Ohh, If the right one came, along  
 _I've got this friend  
_ _I don't think you know her  
_ _She sings a simple song  
_ _It sounds a lot like his  
_ _Oh I've got this friend  
_ _Holding onto her heart  
_ _Like it's a little secret  
_ _Like it's all she's got to give  
_ Ohh, if the right one came  
If the right one came along  
Ohh, if the right one came, along  
 **It'd be such a shame  
** _(If they never meet)  
_ **She sounds lovely  
** _(He sounds right out of a dream)  
_ **If only  
** _(If only)  
_ If only  
Ohh  
Ohh, if the right one came  
If the right one came along  
Ohh, _(I've got this friend)_ if the right one came  
If the right one came along  
Ohh, _(I've got this friend)  
_ If the right one came, along.

I come back from the haze I was in, looking into his eyes. I realize the song has been over for a few seconds, but we're still staring at each other. I break eye contact first, looking down, and I hear him clear his throat.

"See, Tris? I don't know how you can say you can't sing, you're better than half the musicians I know," he says. I look up at him expecting to see laughter in his eyes at the joke he's just made, but all I see in sincerity. I put my hands on my cheeks, realizing how warm they are, and he just smiles softly.

"It really is a beautiful song, Tobias," I say, taking the attention off myself. "You should really consider bringing some of these songs to the group. I know everyone would love them just as much as I do. Besides, the guys are too scared of you to say anything bad anyway," I joke. He chuckles, looking down.

"I don't know," he says, then he looks up. His eyes have a glint in them, "You're going to Zeke and Uriah's tomorrow, right?" I nod.

"How about this, I show this to the guys," he says, "And you sing this with me when we play our set," he asks me grinning. My eyes widen, and before I can tell him that there is no way in hell I'm singing in front of all of my peers, he grabs my hands,"Come on Tris, please? "Tobias," I groan, "No. I can't. You know I don't sing in front of anyone!," I argue.

"You sing in front of me," he reasons, "But that's different!"

He then looks at me with his best puppy dog face that he has used on me since we were kids. _Damn it!_ I try my level best to stare right back at him with an unaffected disposition, but he can tell I'm crumbling. I drop my gaze with a sigh and I see him give a shit eating grin.

"One song. You have to be up there with me, and if I throw up on you, it's not my fault," I grumble. He just laughs and wraps me in a hug.  
"You'll be great, it'll great," he says smiling at me fondly at me. I shove him trying and failing to hide the grin on my face.  
For the next hour we joke around, Tobias plays a few more songs while I try to discreetly take his picture. He either doesn't notice or pretends not to for my sake. I have a feeling it's the latter. At some point I start to go through them, but I also find some of the pictures I took in the cafeteria. I start to giggle at some of the faces he's making in them. My laughing becomes so pronounced that Tobias stops strumming to look at me in amusement. I just hand him my camera, unable to speak through my laughter. I see the corners of his mouth turn up, but I can tell he is trying hard to restrain any kind of amusement from showing on his face. He rolls his eyes and hands me back my camera.

Just then my phone goes off with a text from Caleb saying that he's finished making dinner, since it was his night.

"Dinner's ready, i have to get home," I say. He just nods. "I'll walk you back," he says.

We walk back in a comfortable silence until we reach my house. I turn to him for a hug, and while he holds me I realize how much I wish he wouldn't go, to spend a little more time with him. I pull back and look up at him, "Do you want to eat dinner with us?" I blurt out. I blush at how desperate it comes out so I follow up with, "Mom and Dad are gone, and you know Caleb, always making far more than the two of us can at alone. And i know that Marcus is..." I trail off and risk a look at his face. Instead of seeing amusement like I assumed I would see, he is looking at me fondly with a mix of happiness and relief.

"i would love that," he says and holds out his hand for me, I take it and squeeze it lightly before following him inside my house. As we walk through the door, I see Caleb setting the table. "May want to add another place setting," I say, "I hope you don't mind,"

Caleb looks up from the silverware he was putting down and I see the surprise write on his face, "Four," he says in astonishment. Tobias gives a small smile and a wave. I see Caleb smile as well, "Haven't seen you around here in a while," he says with a glance at me. I look down, but I hear a soft chuckle and look up to find Tobias' eyes on me, "I think it's safe to say you'll be seeing more of me around, hope that's okay," is his reply.

"Not at all," Caleb says with a wide grin. They always did get along, not as well as we did, but well enough. "Let's eat," and as we all walk into the dinning room, I can't help but feeling, even though my parents aren't here, I've finally got my family back.

 **Bonjour mes amis!  
I know this is short, and a bit late, but I wanted to give you something this week. Also, please forgive my grammatical errors, I did not have time to proof read before posting it. It's been pretty busy around here, but I will try my best to keep updating every week! The song in this chapter was I've Got This Friend by the Civil Wars, I thought it describes Tris and Tobias pretty well. Next chapter will be the party and everything that entails. Until next time!  
** **-Charlie**


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